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Rapides Parish Library continues its Big Read program in celebration of THE THINGS THEY CARRIED by Tim O’Brien with four book discussions.  These discussion groups will be led by Dr. Kevin Ells of LSU-A.  Three will be held at Westside Regional Library, located at 5416 Provine Place in Alexandria:  on October 18, 2012, 6:30-8:00 p.m.; October 27, 2012, 3:00-4:30 p.m.; and November 8, 2012, 6:30-8:00 p.m.  The fourth discussion will be held at LSU-A’s Multipurpose Academic Center in room 302 on November 1, 2012, 6:30-8:00 p.m.  The Big Read in Rapides Parish is presented in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities (LEH).

“We are hoping to reach the entire community to join us in reading this year’s Big Read novel. Since the book is about the Vietnam War and the soldiers who fought, we are hoping to reach out to veterans of all wars and veterans groups to participate in the Big Read” said Tammy DiBartolo, Outreach Coordinator for the Rapides Parish Library.

“O’Brien’s stories were published in 1990 but are anything but irrelevant to us today, and the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities is honored to be a part of this Big Read with Rapides Parish Library,” said James Segreto, Director of the state wide activities for the LEH. 

The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts designed to restore reading to the center of American culture. The Big Read is managed by Arts Midwest. Rapides Parish is one of 78 communities nationwide participating in The Big Read from September 2012-June 2013 September 22 to November 2 our community will celebrate The Things They Carried with a full calendar of events including book discussions, musical events and library displays.

For more information on this event, please contact Tammy DiBartolo. You also can view a full calendar of events for The Big Read in Rapides Parish at www.rapidesreads.org.